Department for Transport

Large Goods Vehicles: Holyhead Port

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government where they intend to designate land for additional parking for freight vehicles using the port of Holyhead for ferries to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: This matter is an area of devolved competence and therefore the responsibility of the Welsh Government. The Department for Transport is engaging with officials in Wales and the other Devolved Administrations on traffic management and border readiness plans to share thinking and offer support as required.

Large Goods Vehicles: Ports

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have delayed the production of a handbook for freight drivers using UK ports; if so, why; when this handbook will be ready for distribution; in how many languages it will be available; and what steps they are taking to ensure it is written in accessible language.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The haulier handbook is only one part of a wider package the Government has put in place to help and guide hauliers, which also includes the rollout of 45 Information and Advice Sites and a multimillion pound information campaign, running across the UK and Europe. We are progressing work on the handbook at pace, and plan to publish it to coincide with this month’s full opening of the Information and Advice Sites. The handbook explains complex procedures that hauliers and drivers will need to follow. We have worked with stakeholders to make it as clear as possible. Both Logistics UK and RHA have reviewed drafts of the handbook and tested the content with their members. This has lengthened the development time of the handbook, but it will help ensure that the document meets the needs of hauliers and drivers. Much of the DfT element of this content has been available separately on GOV.UK for some time; as such hauliers have not had to wait for the handbook to get the DfT information. We keep all our guidance under constant review, so we can improve it based on feedback from users. The Haulier Handbook will be available in 14 languages including, Welsh, Romanian, Polish, Dutch, Bulgarian, French and Spanish.

Invalid Vehicles

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to review and update the document 'Mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs: the rules' (1) to permit all classes of invalid carriage to use bus lanes and cycle-only lanes on roads, (2) to permit all classes of invalid carriage to use cycle-only tracks and paths, and (3) to replace the term 'invalid carriage' with a different description.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Mobility scooters can be used on footways, footpaths, bridleways or pedestrianised areas, provided that they are used in accordance with prescribed requirements. Larger mobility scooters, capable of going up to 8mph, are permitted to use the road. The Government does not have any current plans to review and update the places where mobility scooters are permitted to be used. The term ‘invalid carriage’ is the legal definition of a mobility scooter as laid out in the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. It means a vehicle, whether mechanically propelled or not, constructed or adapted for use for the carriage of one person, being a person suffering from some physical defect or disability.

Channel Tunnel Railway Line: Coronavirus

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) Eurostar International Ltd, and (2) HS1 Ltd, aboutthe impact of reduced passenger demand caused by the current travel restrictions on thos companies' ability to continue to provide a service in the future.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The international rail sector, as with the rest of the international travel sector, has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Government has been engaging extensively with Eurostar since the outbreak of Covid-19 earlier this year, closely monitoring the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on demand for international rail services and working with Eurostar to provide support, particularly through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Department for Transport officials have also been actively participating in trilateral discussions with Eurostar and HS1 Ltd to consider and address the longer-term challenges facing the HS1 system as a result of reduced demand for international rail services. The Rail Minister has also recently met with both Eurostar and HS1 to discuss these challenges. The Government will continue to engage in these discussions to identify workable, appropriate solutions to these challenges.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Fireworks: Antisocial Behaviour

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have given to local authorities in relation to the use of antisocial behaviour legislation to reduce local nuisances caused by the use of fireworks; whether they have received representations thatother legislation has been assessed by such authorities as not being effective in doing so; and what their response has been to any such representations.

Lord Callanan: The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (‘the 2014 Act’) provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to anti-social behaviour. The powers in the 2014 Act are deliberately local in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances. We receive representations from a wide range of stakeholders, all with a broad range of views on the issues and what action they would like to see. This includes representations from Local Authorities and Councillors and we are engaging with them to understand the issues they face with regards to fireworks.

Rolls-Royce: Nuclear Reactors

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Rolls-Royce led consortium over the proposals to build mini nuclear power plants; what assessment they have made of their (1) level of involvement, and (2) commitments, required to implementthose proposals; what would be the requirements for planning and other regulatory approvals; and what timescale is envisaged.

Lord Callanan: The Government has regular engagement with the nuclear industry, including with Rolls-Royce, and has discussed the Rolls-Royce-led UK Small Modular Reactors (SMR) Consortium’s work to design and deploy SMRs. In November 2019, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) awarded an initial £18 million, matched by the UK SMR Consortium, for the development of a UK SMR under the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. The UK SMR Consortium is aiming for the design to be ready for operation in the early 2030s. UKRI is monitoring progress closely, including the level of involvement of the UK SMR Consortium’s members, as well as progress against milestones and value for money. Decisions on further funding will be taken in due course. The requirements for planning approvals are set out in the Planning Act 2008. New nuclear power stations are also subject to nuclear licensing and environmental permitting as regulated by the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the relevant environment agencies.

Buses: Manufacturing Industries

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many jobs have been lost in the UK bus manufacturing industry since February 2020; and in what regions any such job losses have occurred.

Lord Callanan: Since February 2020, UK bus manufacturers have announced 775 job losses in total. In May, Wrightbus announced 125 job losses at its Ballymena site in Northern Ireland. In July, Alexander Dennis Limited announced 650 job losses across its sites in Falkirk, Scarborough, and Guildford.

Hydrogen: Renewable Energy

Baroness Meacher: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made (1) of the levels of investment being committed by (a) Germany, (b) France, (c) other countries, to the production of green hydrogen, and(2) of theimpact any such international competition may have on the UK's green hydrogen sector.

Lord Callanan: We are following international hydrogen developments from Germany, France and other countries, and participate in a range of international fora, including the Clean Energy Ministerial, the International Partnership for Hydrogen for Fuel Cells in the Economy and Mission Innovation. These offer opportunities to discuss other countries’ domestic hydrogen strategies in detail, their levels of investment, including in green hydrogen production and explore opportunities for collaboration. We plan to publish a UK Hydrogen Strategy in early 2021; this will be informed in part by assessment of international activity and the opportunities and challenges that presents for the UK hydrogen economy.

Hydrogen: Renewable Energy

Baroness Meacher: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have tocommit to include investments in the production of blue and green hydrogen as part of their forthcoming economy-wide hydrogen strategy.

Lord Callanan: The Government is committed to developing hydrogen as a decarbonised energy carrier, as confirmed in the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 18th November. The Ten Point Plan package aims to bring forward a combination of commercial-scale CCUS-enabled ‘blue’ hydrogen and smaller scale electrolytic ‘green’ hydrogen projects. Both these production methods – and other innovative techniques – will be needed to deliver UK hydrogen demand expected by 2050. This twin-track approach will enable production to be brought forward at the necessary scale during the 2020s, to grow the supply chain and build confidence in the sector, whilst scaling up green hydrogen which is likely to dominate the global market in the long term. The Plan set out that the Government, working with industry, is aiming for 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity in the UK by 2030. We will support our hydrogen ambition through a range of measures, including a £240m Net Zero Hydrogen Fund out to 2024/25 and bringing forward, next year, detail on hydrogen business models and the revenue mechanism to stimulate private investment in new low carbon hydrogen production facilities. We expect these measures to reflect our twin track approach to production. More detail on how we intend to work with industry towards the 5GW 2030 ambition will be set out in the hydrogen strategy in early 2021.

Hydrogen: Renewable Energy

Baroness Meacher: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they plan to invest in the production of (1) blue hydrogen, and (2) green hydrogen, over the next five years.

Lord Callanan: The Government is committed to developing hydrogen as a decarbonised energy carrier, as confirmed in the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 18th November. The Ten Point Plan package aims to bring forward a combination of commercial-scale CCUS-enabled ‘blue’ hydrogen and smaller scale electrolytic ‘green’ hydrogen projects. Both these production methods – and other innovative techniques – will be needed to deliver UK hydrogen demand expected by 2050. This twin-track approach will enable production to be brought forward at the necessary scale during the 2020s, to grow the supply chain and build confidence in the sector, whilst scaling up green hydrogen which is likely to dominate the global market in the long term. The Plan set out that the Government, working with industry, is aiming for 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity in the UK by 2030, We will support our hydrogen ambition through a range of measures, including a £240m Net Zero Hydrogen Fund out to 2024/25 and bringing forward, next year, detail on hydrogen business models and the revenue mechanism to stimulate private investment in new low carbon hydrogen production facilities. We expect these measures to reflect our twin track approach to production.

Department of Health and Social Care

Contraceptives

Baroness Jenkin of Kennington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Women's Lives, Women's Rights: Strengthening Access to Contraception Beyond the Pandemic, published on 10 September, what plans they have to use primary care networks to provide opportunities to train the workforce in contraceptive care.

Lord Bethell: The All Party Parliamentary Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health’s report, Women's Lives, Women's Rights: Strengthening Access to Contraception Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic, has raised a number of important issues. The recommendations, including those relating to the workforce, will be considered as part of our upcoming work to develop the sexual and reproductive health strategy.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Drugs

Lord Patel of Bradford: To ask Her Majesty's Government since March, what is the total number of people in England who have presented at accident and emergency departmentswith (1) an overdose, or (2) parasuicide; and whether they can provide these figures broken down byregion.

Lord Bethell: The diagnosis coding scheme used in the Emergency Care Data Set does not uniquely identify parasuicide.The following table shows data on accident and emergency (A&E) attendances with a primary diagnosis of overdose, by commissioning region, April - September 2020.Commissioning regionAttendancesLondon4,955South West6,710South East8,040Midlands11,220East of England5,895North West7,820North East and Yorkshire10,825Unknown10England55,473It should be noted that this is not a count of patients as an individual may have attended an A&E department in any given period.

Influenza: Vaccination

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that remaining influenza vaccines aredelivered to GP practices and administered for those over the age of50 in advance of the COVID-19 vaccine being made available.

Lord Bethell: The flu vaccine programme is currently underway, with priority given to those who are most at risk from the effects of flu, and frontline health and social care workers. We have announced that we will be extending the programme to those aged 50-64 from 1 December.The Department has procured additional doses of seasonal flu vaccine to ensure more flu vaccines are available this winter. General practitioners who have exhausted their own supply are now able to order from this central stock.Overall, there is sufficient vaccine for more than 30 million people to be vaccinated in England this winter.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the future importance of dispensing practices in administering COVID-19 vaccinationsin rural areas with poor transport links and connectivity.

Lord Bethell: The National Health Service has a tried and tested track record for delivering vaccination programmes and will work with existing partners across the healthcare system, including general practices, to ensure a COVID-19 vaccine can be deployed safely and effectively. Detailed planning is underway building on the NHS’s expertise to deliver immunisation programmes, such as the flu vaccination programme. Planning considerations, includes the supporting infrastructure required, including warehousing, transport, logistics for transport across the nation and end-destination ‘clinic’ storage.

Strokes: Rehabilitation

Lord Lingfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that stroke rehabilitation services continue to be delivered effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Bethell: NHS England and NHS Improvement have ensured that stroke services across England continue to provide rehabilitation and post-acute services to stroke survivors and their families and carers during the COVID-19 pandemic.NHS England and NHS Improvement have funded the Stroke Association over the last six months to provide Stroke Connect, which was developed in direct response to COVID-19 to ensure stroke survivors and their carers have support when discharged from hospital.

Intensive Care: Drugs

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to inform, and (2) to implement, the use of ready-to-use critical care medicines such as noradrenaline at trust-level; and what assessment they have made of the impact of these medicines on (a) safety levels, (b) drug error rates, and (c) nursing time saved.

Lord Bethell: The Department commissioned Lord Carter of Coles to look into the provision of aseptic medicines, including some critical care medicines, in England. The noble Lord published his report on 29 October 2020. He made a number of recommendations, including setting up a network of hub and spoke facilities to prepare ready to administer medicines, providing guidance on standard injectable medicines, and training for aseptic pharmacy staff.NHS England and NHS Improvement are setting up an NHS Aseptic Services transformation implementation board to co-ordinate the implementation of these recommendations.

Dentistry

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to remove the annual cap on dentistry places at UK universities.

Lord Bethell: The provision of dentistry training places in the United Kingdom is a devolved issue.In England, the Government temporarily lifted the cap on dental school places for students who completed A-Levels in 2020 and who had an offer from a university in England to study dentistry subject to their grades. This ensured a place this year or next for every eligible student.The Government has no plans outside this change to remove the cap. However, it is committed to ensuring that the number of dental school places are in line with England’s requirements for dentists and continues to monitor the effectiveness of current arrangements.

Coronavirus: Mink

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports of transmission of COVID-19 between minks and humans in Denmark, what steps they are taking to reduce the human and animal health risks posed by mink and other fur farming.

Lord Bethell: Fur farming including mink and other animal fur has been banned in the United Kingdom since 2000.There are an estimated 120,000 wild mink in Great Britain, that established in the wild following escapes/releases from fur farms in the early twentieth century. As wild mink generally avoids human contact, there is very limited risk of direct contact with mink for the public. Individuals responsible for care of wild or rescued mink are being provided advice by Natural England on practices to reduce infection.

Gambling: Rehabilitation

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by GambleAware Annual Statistics fromthe National GamblingTreatment Service(Great Britain), published on 29 October, what steps they are taking to encourage those affected by gambling-related harm to seek help.

Lord Bethell: The Government remains committed to the treatment of gambling-related harms.The NHS Long Term Plan announced the creation of an additional 14 specialist problem gambling clinics by 2023/24, three of which are already up and running. The NHS England Northern Gambling Service in Leeds opened last summer and includes satellite sites in Manchester and Sunderland.Work continues on the phased expansion of these services, enabling the National Health Service to explore how best to use existing treatment models to reach those in most need of support.The Department is working collaboratively with key delivery partners to support the integration and expansion of treatment services and improve public awareness. GambleAware launched a new campaign during February and March to raise awareness of the treatment available through the National Gambling Treatment Service.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what contingency plansthey have made to alter a COVID-19 vaccination schedule if a booster dose is required.

Lord Bethell: A COVID-19 vaccine will only be deployed once it has met robust standards on safety, efficacy and quality through clinical trials and approved for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The Government has asked the National Health Service to be ready to deploy any safe and effective vaccines when available. All plans for deployment remain flexible as there are no certainties in the development, production, formulation and timing of any new vaccines. Information on vaccine characteristics, including potential requirements for a booster dose, is being factored into programme deployment planning.

Protective Clothing: Contracts

Lord Strasburger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publishdetails of any contracts for the purchase of personal protective equipment in 2020, for which they have financially assisted the contractor in any way, including (1) partial or complete up-front payment, or (2) payment in any other manner.

Lord Bethell: Advanced payments have been used on a number of contracts awarded to suppliers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each contract is different; some are payment on delivery and others are a percentage of payment upfront. Our approach has been to take some managed risk in order to secure supplies in an exceptional and globally highly competitive market. Contracts have break clauses in them, meaning if the company supplies faulty products or misses delivery dates, we can cancel the contracts and reclaim our money.Over 900 contracts have been awarded by the Department and its executive agencies to suppliers for the delivery of goods and services related to the COVID-19 pandemic. To provide a validated assessment of whether an advanced payment has been agreed or not for each of these orders would involve disproportionate cost.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether frontline staff working in the funeral industry will be considered as a priority group to receive vaccination against COVID-19.

Lord Bethell: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are the independent experts who provide advice to Government on which vaccine(s) the United Kingdom should use, and which groups to prioritise. Whilst there is a desire for the whole UK population to be vaccinated, there may need to be an element of prioritisation - based on availability, evidence on safety and efficacy in different population groups and constraints in supply.The committee – in their interim advice - have advised that for Phase 1, the vaccine first be given to care home residents and staff, followed by people over 80 and health and social workers, then to the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors in the initial phase. We will consider the Committee’s advice carefully as further data emerges in preparation for Phase 2 including for critical workers in other essential sectors. Our vaccination programmes are led by the latest scientific evidence and we expect the Committee’s advice to develop as more evidence is gathered.

Coronavirus: Obesity

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent remarks by Professor Dame Sally Davies about (1) the correlation between obesity and the UK’s COVID-19 mortality rate, and (2) the ‘structural environment’ contributing to obesity in the UK.

Lord Bethell: There is consistent evidence that people who are overweight or living with obesity who contract COVID-19 are more likely to be admitted to hospital, admitted to an intensive care unit and to die from COVID-19 compared to those of a healthy body weight status.We published Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives in July. Our strategy is designed to reshape the food environment by providing people with a healthier choice and encouraging them to take it. A copy is attached.Tackling obesity (pdf, 277.3KB)

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccination will be available in those rural areas which are less easily accessible and with higher population sparsity.

Lord Bethell: The National Health Service has a tried and tested track record for delivering vaccination programmes and will work with existing partners across the healthcare system to ensure a COVID-19 vaccine can be deployed safely and effectively. Detailed planning is underway building on the NHS’s expertise delivering immunisation programmes including the flu vaccination programme. Planning considerations include the size and make-up of the workforce needed to deliver a potentially extensive vaccination programme at pace, training requirements, guidance, consumables and other equipment. They also include the supporting infrastructure required, including warehousing, transport, logistics for transport across the nation and end-destination ‘clinic’ storage.

Coronavirus: Aviation

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they planto include airline pilots and cabin crew inthe priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination.

Lord Bethell: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are the independent experts who provide advice to Government on which vaccine(s) the United Kingdom should use, and which groups to prioritise. Whilst there is a desire for the whole UK population to be vaccinated, there may need to be an element of prioritisation - based on availability, evidence on safety and efficacy in different population groups and constraints in supply.The committee – in their interim advice - have advised that for Phase 1, the vaccine first be given to care home residents and staff, followed by people over 80 and health and social workers, then to the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors in the initial phase. We will consider the Committee’s advice carefully as further data emerges in preparation for Phase 2 including for critical workers in other essential sectors. Our vaccination programmes are led by the latest scientific evidence and we expect the Committee’s advice to develop as more evidence is gathered.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to include teachers and school staff in priority groups for any potential COVID-19 vaccine.

Lord Bethell: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are the independent experts who provide advice to Government on which vaccine(s) the United Kingdom should use, and which groups to prioritise. Whilst there is a desire for the whole UK population to be vaccinated, there may need to be an element of prioritisation - based on availability, evidence on safety and efficacy in different population groups and constraints in supply.The committee – in their interim advice - have advised that for Phase 1, the vaccine first be given to care home residents and staff, followed by people over 80 and health and social workers, then to the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors in the initial phase. We will consider the Committee’s advice carefully as further data emerges in preparation for Phase 2. Our vaccination programmes are led by the latest scientific evidence and we expect the Committee’s advice to develop as more evidence is gathered.

Health: Equality

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Northern Health Science Alliance Covid-19 and the Northern Powerhouse: tackling inequalities for UK health and productivity,publishedon 10 November; and what proposals they are putting forward to meet the recommendations of that report.

Lord Bethell: The NHS Long Term Plan commits all major national programmes and every local area across England to set out specific measurable goals and mechanisms by which they will contribute to narrowing health inequalities over the next five and ten years.On economy and productivity, the Government is levelling up opportunity across the United Kingdom to ensure that everyone can benefit from economic growth. For example, HM Treasury has provided £1 billion for local projects to boost local economic growth. In the North of England this includes so far over half a million self-employed people have been supported through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, with claims worth over £1 billion. Furthermore, over 2 million jobs have been protected through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and business support loans worth over £10.5 billion have been provided.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Baroness Pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the the Royal College of Psychiatrists'analysis published on 14 September that estimated that the number of high-risk drinkers has risen from 4.8 million in February to 8.4 million during the COVID-19 pandemic; and what steps they plan to take based on any such assessment.

Lord Bethell: Local authorities are responsible for assessing local needs and commissioning alcohol services to meet these needs, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public Health England (PHE) supports local authorities in this work by providing advice, guidance and data.PHE has been collecting and publishing a range of data on alcohol sales and consumption during the period of the pandemic. This data can be viewed as part of the Wider Impacts of COVID-19 on Health monitoring tool, which is available in an online only format.The data indicates that while many people have taken the opportunity of lockdown to moderate their drinking, or to not drink at all, there is a group of people who are drinking at levels which increase their risk of harm.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Allotments: Coronavirus

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 10 November (HL9637), what plans they have to provide direct funding to parish councils to increase the provision of allotments.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government does not have powers to offer direct financial support to parish and town councils, which are funded through a precept collected from within the overall council tax paid by the residents of the parish or town.? Allotment provision is a matter for local authorities, who are best placed to understand and respond to local requirements. I would encourage town and parish councils to work with their principal authorities to ensure that communities can continue to benefit from access to allotments.

Neighbourhood Development Plans

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure that existing approved Neighbourhood Plans will (1) relate to, and (2) fit with, the new local plans in their proposed planning system.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is committed to retaining neighbourhood planning as part of the planning system. We intend to publish further details in due course.

Ministry of Justice

Prisons: Visits

Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in increasing awareness of the Assisted Prisons Visits scheme among (1) prisoners, and (2) visitors, since thepublication of the report by the National Offender Management ServiceFamilies Do Matter Project Report2009,which found that 38per cent of prisoners and visitors were unaware of that scheme.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: A new online Help with Visits service (formerly known as the Assisted Prison Visits Scheme) was introduced in June 2017 to simplify the application process and the ease of access to the service for members of the public who are visiting prisons. Family service providers have continued to assist HMPPS with raising the profile of the Help with Visits Scheme and, through their service user forum, have provided feedback on the design of the updated literature. This will be launched once Covid-19 restrictions ease across the prison estate. Additionally, a pilot across a number of prisons will be used to review eligibility criteria to help inform potential changes that may be made to improve access to social visits for prisoners and their families.

Prison Governors: Length of Service

Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of prison governors have stayed in post for more than (1) two, and (2) three years.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: As at 30th June 2020, 48% of prison governors had stayed in their current post for more than two years, and 39% had stayed in their current post for more than three years.To note, this includes substantive band 10-11 Governing Governors only and does not include any deputy governors who may be filling the role on a temporary promotion.

Prison Governors: Length of Service

Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average length of (1) a completed prison governor tenure, and (2) existing prison governor tenures.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: (1) The average length of service of a completed prison governor tenure who left over the last 5 years is 4.2 years.To note, the averages are based on total governor tenure (which would include them moving to different prisons) and not specific to time spent in one post.(2) As at 30 June 2020, existing prison governors had spent an average of 2.7 years in their current post.To note, this includes substantive band 10-11 Governing Governors only and does not include any deputy governors who may be filling the role on a temporary promotion.

Prisoners: Suicide

Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of suicides in prison over the last 12 months.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Every death in custody is a tragedy and the Government is committed to reducing the number of self-inflicted deaths in prison. There is a variety of financial costs associated with responding to and investigating each self-inflicted death, making it difficult to calculate the total. However, it is the human cost, in terms of the loss of life, and the impact on the lives of others, including the bereaved family and friends and the staff who worked with the individual, that is of concern to the Government. It is our determination to avoid these harms, and our commitment to the welfare of those in our care, that drive our work to prevent self-inflicted deaths.

Treasury

Self-employed

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the reduction in the number of people who are self-employed; and what steps, if any, they are taking to reverse the downward trend.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The UK has one of the most generous self-employed coronavirus support schemes in the world. The SEISS Grant Extension continues this critical support to the self-employed. The grant will be limited to self-employed individuals who are currently eligible for the SEISS and are actively continuing to trade but are facing reduced demand due to COVID-19. The extension will be in the form of two taxable grants. The first grant will cover a three-month period from the start of November until the end of January. This initial grant will cover 80% of average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of profits for 1 November 2020 to 31 January 2020, and capped at £7,500 in total. The second grant will cover a three-month period from the start of February until the end of April. The Government will review the level of the second grant and set this in due course. Nonetheless, ONS data suggests the number of self-employed people dropped by 502,000 (a 10.0% drop) between December-February and July-September 2020. The Government continues to provide additional support to help people start their own business, or develop their business if they are already self-employed. The New Enterprise Allowance provides support including mentoring and an allowance. In order to be eligible, claimants must be aged over 18 and either they or their partner must receive Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance, or they must receive Income Support and be a lone parent, sick or disabled. Those on the New Enterprise Allowance have a mentor who gives them advice and support to help them set up their business and start to trade. Once their mentor has approved their business plan they may get a weekly allowance worth up to £1,274 over 26 weeks and they can apply for a loan to help with start-up costs. Those who are already self-employed but not earning enough to move off Universal Credit completely can also benefit from the scheme. They may be able to get a mentor to give them advice and support to help them develop their business and apply for a start-up loan if their business is less than two years old. New Enterprise Allowance contracts are set to end in 2021. The Government is looking into a replacement offer, and hopes to announce more details in due course.

Self-employed: Coronavirus

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Centre for Economic Performance Self Employed: Six Months into the Crisis, published on 10 November; and what steps they are taking to support self-employed workers.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government recognises the impact that the changing path of the virus has had on the self-employed and has taken action to increase the level of support available through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). The third grant, covering November 2020 to January 2021, has now been increased to an overall level of 80 per cent of average trading profits, meaning that the maximum grant available has increased to £7,500. This provides equivalent support to the self-employed as is being provided for employees through the Government contribution in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. This will provide an estimated £7.3bn of support to the self-employed through the period of November 2020 to January 2021 alone, with a further grant to follow covering February to April 2021. This places the SEISS among the most generous schemes for the self-employed in the world. The SEISS continues to be just one element of a comprehensive package of support for the self-employed. The Universal Credit standard allowance has been temporarily increased for 2020-21 and the Minimum Income Floor relaxed for the duration of the crisis, so that where self-employed claimants' earnings have fallen significantly, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. In addition to this, they may also have access to other elements of the package, including Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and other business support grants.

Research Councils: Finance

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to exempt research councils from the one-year spending review so they can fund long-term projects.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: To provide certainty to the research community, we are providing a multi-year settlement for UK Research and Innovation science. This includes increasing funding for core UK Research and Innovation science by 9% next year and £400 million on average per annum until 23-24. By 23-24, the government will be investing £1.4 billion more per annum in core funding for its world-leading research base compared to 20-21.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Afghanistan and Iraq: NATO

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk posed to the lives of NATO troops in (1) Afghanistan, and (2) Iraq, as a result of the proposed drawdown of United States troops in those countries by 15 January 2021, as announced on 17 November; and what discussions they have had with the government of the United States about such drawdowns.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The safety and security of all our personnel is of paramount importance. The Ministry of Defence keeps operational risk for both Afghanistan and Iraq under constant review, and we adjust our force protection arrangements in accordance with the circumstances. We have regular discussions with the US and other Allies about our approach to both countries, which we do not discuss publicly.

Passenger Ships: Coronavirus

Lord Snape: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish the evidence supporting the case for specific travel advice for cruise ships.

Lord Snape: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the need to update travel advice for cruise ships.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against ocean cruising informed by public health risk assessments. This advice is kept under continuous review. The risk assessments to inform travel advice from Public Health England and the Department of Health and Social Care are not published separately.The FCDO remains fully committed to working closely with the Department for Transport and key industry leaders, informed by the changing public health situation during this pandemic to agree on the steps required to restart cruises safely.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of Israel has (1) prevented Palestinian farmers from reaching their land, and (2) subsequently used the lack of use of such land as evidence that the land has been abandoned and can be used to expand settlements; and what steps they are taking, if any, to support those affected.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are seriously concerned by the continued expropriation of land by Israel in the West Bank, including notably for settlement expansion. We regularly call on Israel to halt such counterproductive activity and instead urgently commit to creating a better environment for a just and lasting peace. Settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the physical viability of the two-state solution. We continue to call on Israel to improve Palestinians' route to securing building permissions for homes and infrastructure, including agriculture and farming, in Area C.

West Bank: Demolition

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking, if any, to supportPalestinians in the West Bank who have legal title deeds to their land from having their property and resources demolished bythe government of Israel.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We consistently call for an immediate end to all actions that undermine the viability of the two-state solution, including the demolition of Palestinian property in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In all but the most exceptional of circumstances demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. The practice causes unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians and is harmful to the peace process. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have repeatedly raised our concern about demolitions with Israeli Ministers and senior officials, and urged them to cease the counter-productive policy of demolitions, and provide a clear, transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C.

Gaza: Israel

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter sent by Gisha - the Legal Center for Freedom of Movement and Adalah - the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel to the government of Israel on 8 November requesting (1) a halt to the Israel Defence Force's destruction of land in the Gaza Strip, (2) an investigation into recent incursions, and (3) compensation to Gaza farmers for the damage; and what plans they have to support such requests.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the letter sent by Gisha - the Legal Center for Freedom of Movement and Adalah - the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel to the Government of Israel. Reports of destruction of agricultural land is concerning and the UK raises with Israeli counterparts when necessary. We also continue to urge Israel to ease their movement and access restrictions on Gaza. While we fully respect Israel's right to security, the situation in Gaza is unsustainable.

West Bank: Sports

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they plan to maketo the government of Israelabout reports that that government has orderedthat the building of a sports facility for Palestinian wheelchair users in Salfit be stopped.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We recognise that Palestinians can face severe difficulty in securing building permissions for homes and infrastructure. We continue to urge the Government of Israel to develop improved mechanisms for zoning, planning and permitting in the West Bank for the benefit of the Palestinian population, including by facilitating local Palestinian participation in such processes.

UNRWA: Finance

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, in response to the statement by the Commissioner-General for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East on 9 November about that Agency's financial challenges.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a long-term supporter of the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), and we recognise UNRWA's unique mandate from the UN General Assembly to protect and provide protection and core services to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. We are providing £51 million to UNRWA in 2020/2021. Reports that UNRWA may not be able to pay the salaries of its staff in full are very worrying. To that end, the UK is working with UNRWA and other donors to improve UNRWA's financial viability. This includes broadening UNRWA's donor base, encouraging the full disbursement of pledges and support through multi-year funding.

Developing Countries: Coronavirus

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to provide equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for those living in the global south.

Baroness Sugg: The UK is committed to rapid, equitable access to safe and effective vaccines as demonstrated by our strong support for the Access for COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. The UK has contributed up to £813 million to the ACT-Accelerator partners. This includes the UK's commitment of up to £548 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines, of which the UK is the largest bilateral donor. Our commitment to the COVAX AMC will support access to COVID-19 vaccines for up to 92 developing countries by contributing to the supply of 1 billion doses in 2021, and vaccinations for up to 500 million people (subject to vaccines successfully securing stringent regulatory approvals).

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Families

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government when a new UK armed forces families' strategy will be published.

Baroness Goldie: In 2019 Andrew Selous MP was asked to produce an independent report for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to explore what more support could be offered to Service families. That review, Living in Our Shoes, was published in June 2020 and considered how the MOD and wider Government policy reflects the varied make-up and diverse needs of a range of family models: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/living-in-our-shoes-understanding-the-needs-of-uk-armed-forces-families The Government is now considering the findings of Mr Selous' review alongside other key research informing the development of a new UK Armed Forces Families Strategy, which the MOD anticipates will be published in 2021.

HMS Queen Elizabeth

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, whether the governments of other countries will be providing support when HMS Queen Elizabeth is deployed in the South China Sea.

Baroness Goldie: Planning continues for the 2021 Carrier Strike Group deployment and a statement will be made to Parliament in due course. What we can say for now is that this deployment - which will of course include working alongside and engaging with partners and allies (including NATO) - will be a demonstration of the professionalism and capability of our people, our ships and our aircraft. The deployment will also provide support to the UK's wider diplomatic and trade efforts.

Military Operations: Airspace

Lord Davies of Gower: To ask Her Majesty's Government what procedureallows them to implement changes to military air space whichare requested by the Ministry of Defence to further peacetime operations.

Baroness Goldie: The UK Flight Information Region airspace is neither specifically military or civilian. The Joint Air Navigation Services Council is responsible for the management of airspace and Air Traffic Service provision with a Joint and Integrated Approach between the Department for Transport and the Ministry of Defence. These joint procedures are published in Civil Airspace Publication (CAP) 740 - UK Airspace Management Policy which is available on the Gov.uk website. The practical policy guidance to enact an airspace change is published in CAP1616, again with the specific military stakeholder requirements considered throughout any change process.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Flood Control: Finance

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the £5.2billion investment in flood and coastal defence programmes, announced in the Budget on 11 March, has been affected by subsequent spending announcements in other areas.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: At the Budget in March, the Government confirmed that it will invest £5.2 billion over six years to create around 2,000 new flood and coastal defence schemes to better protect 336,000 properties in England by 2027. This was further confirmed in the Chancellor’s Spending Review, which was published today. In addition, it was announced that a further £200 million would be provided for local innovative resilience projects which reduce flood risk. This summer, a further £170 million of capital funding was announced to accelerate work on shovel-ready flood defence schemes that will begin construction in 2020 or 2021. 22 areas across the country will benefit from this immediate boost to jobs supporting the local economy as communities recover from the impact of coronavirus. By spring 2021, Defra will publish further details of what it expects to achieve from the £5.2 billion invested over the next six-year programme and how it is to be managed. The Environment Agency will publish an updated programme of specific flood and coastal defence capital projects annually.

Livestock: Disease Control

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to undertake a review of the potential risks posed by intensive farming of animals in enclosed spaces on (1) the incubation, and (2) animal to human transmission, of viruses.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Defra works in a ‘One Health’ approach with others, including public health and food safety departments and devolved administrations. We know the importance of surveillance for and management of the risk of emergence of zoonotic diseases, a constant threat in our globalised world where disease can spread so rapidly. We continue to develop a robust evidence base. Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) routinely carry out surveillance on farms for zoonotic pathogens. It has significant surveillance programmes for tuberculosis, avian influenza, salmonella, brucellosis and anti-microbial resistance.We respond promptly to outbreaks to minimise the impacts of zoonotic disease associated with farming and farmed products. Different types of farming systems can be managed in a professional way with good biosecurity plans and housing systems to reduce disease transmission.

Fisheries

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the Netherlands, (2) Sweden, and (3) Iceland, about future access to British fishing stocks.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Negotiations are ongoing for a fisheries framework agreement with the EU. To date there have been no direct discussions with the Netherlands or Sweden around future access to British fishing stocks.In the negotiations, we have been clear throughout that we want a simple, separate fisheries framework agreement which reflects our rights under international law and which provides for annual negotiations over access and fishing opportunities. Any access negotiated with the EU will only cover the UK's exclusive economic zone and not the 0-12nm zone. This remains the case.On 11 November, the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iceland to enhance cooperation on fisheries matters. The MoU, which will come into effect on 1 January 2021, establishes a UK-Iceland Fisheries Dialogue whereby both countries can share best practice and cooperate on a range of issues, including product innovation and the traceability and marketing of seafood products. This MoU does not provide for fishing opportunities or access to either party's waters.

Home Office

Immigration: Afghanistan

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend the Immigration Rules to allow applications for relocation to the UK from former interpreters who have fled Afghanistan, who are otherwise eligible under the Ex-Gratia Redundancy Scheme, but need to apply from a third country.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We keep the Immigration Rules for the ex-gratia scheme for those Afghan interpreters who supported HM Forces under regular review, and will continue working with the Ministry of Defence to consider options for those who may otherwise be eligible to relocate to the United Kingdom but have left Afghanistan.

Asylum: Coronavirus

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure information about the COVID-19 pandemic is made available to asylum seekers in the UK; and in which languages such information is made available (1) in printed form, (2) online, and (3) on social media.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: There are currently no plans to update social Media with COVID-19 guidance in languages other than English and Welsh.Guidance for COVID-19 has been translated into 60 different languages in partnership with the British Red Cross and other partners such as Migrant help and is available using the link provided: http://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/coronavirus-information/Also, videos with key COVID-19 information for migrants in the UK are being released here: https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/key-covid-19-information-for-migrants/Alternatively links to translated support and guidance can be found through our Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) provider, Migrant Help here: https://www.migranthelpuk.org/translated-supportProviders signpost the people we support to these website where these documents are available to download, print or view online. Printed guidance has also been given to those residing in Home Office initial accommodation in their own languages relating to hygiene, washing hands, social distancing, coronavirus symptoms and what to do if they become symptomatic

Cabinet Office

Local Government: Elections

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to delaying the local elections due in England in May 2021 to a later date.

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the operation of the United States Presidential elections on 3 November with a view toinforming their methods of running multiple elections during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular in relation to the (1) mayoral, (2) London Assembly, (3) Police Commissioner, (4) county, and (5) borough, elections that are due to occur on 6 May 2021.

Lord True: Many elections have taken place globally since the beginning of the pandemic, including the recent US Presidential and associated elections. The Government keeps international practice under regular review. The UK Government is working with the election sector and public health bodies to identify and resolve challenges involved in delivering the May 2021 elections. This includes supporting Returning Officers to ensure polling stations are safe and covid-secure places to vote. Voters will be able participate in the May 2021 elections safely, and in a way of their choice, whether in-person, by proxy or by post.It is the Government’s view that polls can be delivered safely and securely if COVID-19 secure guidelines are followed closely. The Government is clear that the expectation is for polls to take place next May.

Department for Education

Universities: Admissions

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the decision by the Welsh Government has now cancelled A-level exams in summer 2021 and base grades on school assessment, what steps they intend to take to ensure that there is a level playing field for university admission in the UK in 2021.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: As autonomous institutions, higher education providers determine their own entry criteria. In making admissions decisions, we would expect providers to take into account variations across the UK in examination systems and types of qualification, as they have for many years.We have been working closely with Ofqual, the devolved administrations, and partners across the education sector on all decisions relating to examinations and qualifications in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Higher Education Taskforce, chaired by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, provides a forum for discussion with sector representatives on a range of issues, including admissions, and we are working with the sector on the challenges which universities, colleges, and students are facing due to the pandemic.We shall continue to engage with partners across the education sector on the measures needed to ensure that exams can be held in England, and on the issue of grading, with fairness for students as our priority.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Personal Records: Overseas Trade

Baroness Kidron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the monetary value of trade involving personal data between the UK and Japan.

Baroness Barran: It is difficult to estimate figures for trade values involving personal data specifically, and the closest proxy we have is for data-enabled trade. We estimate that the value of data-enabled services trade with Japan is £12.9 billion, £7.0 billion of which is exports and £5.9 billion in imports. These values are derived from the Office of National Statistics 2019 trade figures.